Takaoka, Toyama

This is kinda like a continuation from the last post as this was done on that same weekend i went to Osaka.

I have this class called Comparing Cultures and part of the assessment is to do a group project of some kind, i decided to join the day trip one, seems the most fun! :D

The group ended up going on two trips but i missed the last one because i wasn't there when they discussed about going so i wanted to go to this one! There is a nabe festival in Takaoka City in Toyama prefecture that weekend.  Nabe is basically like hot pot where you can put anything you like in it and cook it but more in a soup form. 

So i managed to get some sleep on the night bus from Osaka and arrived at Kanazawa station at 6am, we had to wait for nearly a hour for the first bus but luckily the national examinations were still happening there were extra buses chartered to the university so I was able to go back, have a quick shower and be at the bus stop for 8:30am for the bus to take us to an particular bus stop which the bus to Takaoka will go to.

Most of the group i went with that day were pretty zombified :P

 A special deal, 500yen for two bowls of nabe

 Part of the group doing the group project thing

One of three Buddhas in Japan, I've seen two! This one here and Nara and now missing seeing the Kamakura

We walked around for abit as seen in the above photos and then we decided we needed to eat! So our first bowl was seafood nabe, as we walked to the location we ended up eating other foods before reaching where the seafood nabe place was :P

 Amezushi i think this spelt which is like a hot rice sake drink, but not that alcoholic

Zensai which is red bean soup in chinese cuisuine

 Seafood nabe, was good!

 Nice looking tram thing ;P

Takaoka croquette which was different to others i have tried here as it is creamy inside with meat

The city of Takaoka was the birthplace of one the Doreamon's creators!

Finding this second nabe took ages as we wanted something else but it was sold out, and then a few more places we wanted to go to were sold out so we ended up back at where the seafood nabe was and ate this beef one, the soup was really really nice, meaty soup!

Then we had quite some time to walk until the bus, we originally wanted to get the 7pm bus but people were seriously tired and then we found out that the next bus would be at 4:30, almost a two hour wait! The weather was quite bad and it was cold but we solidered on and walked around the park where it had a shrine and an animal park where in one feeling i was sad and angry for the animals.  The conditions they were kept in were horrible.  :(  After that we were really cold and wanted to sit down with a hot drink so we went to a cafe where we eat this waffle set with drink, 

it was nice but we had to eat it quick as the time loomed for the bus. But was really glad to get back and sleep! Luck struck again as we didn't have to wait too long for the bus to take us back to university as with Sunday times there are not that many buses. SOOO glad to be back to sleep!

Now got one more week of this semster left at university! It has good really quick as soon will be heading off to Hokkaido to catch the snow festival! Then coming back i'll be heading off to Tokyo to pick up Chris and head to the West side of Japan!  Also got a trip to Taipai planned as well! So many trips so been saving as much as i can!